Timothy Flanigan, MD is the founder of Star Kids and is the Chairman of the Board of Directors. He grew up in New York and graduated from Dartmouth College in 1979 and Cornell University Medical College in 1983. He is currently the head of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Miriam Hospital, Rhode Island Hospital and Brown University. He is the co-founder of the RISE Program in Providence.

Kathleen Burke M.Ed serves as Executive Director of the Star Kids Scholarship Program. Appointed in July 2011, she assumed the role from Sue Petronello who so ably led the organization for the past eleven years since its inception. Kathleen's involvement with the program began six years ago as a volunteer and most recently as a Board Member for the past three years. Kathleen holds a Masters Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with a specialization in Multicultural Education from Lesley College and a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Bowdoin College. She has held administrative positions for the past two decades in the independent school world, including Director of Admission/Financial Aid/Communications at The Pennfield School, Associate Director of College Placement at Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, CT, Assistant Director of Admission at Portsmouth Abbey School and Career Counselor at Williams College. Kathleen has enjoyed mentoring students as a counselor, dorm parent and coach. She resides in Portsmouth with her husband, Patrick, and children, Caitlin and Aidan.

Judy Zwirblis, BA and MTS joined Star Kids in 2006 as the Associate Director. She brings well rounded experiences in the field of education and leadership to Star Kids and her enthusiasm for the betterment of at-risk children is an asset for the expansion of Star Kids in New Bedford. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in education from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, a Masters in Theology
and is also a graduate and former teacher at the Rhode Island School of Photography. She created and implemented a character education curriculum and has developed workshops for training teachers.

Providing educational opportunities to low-income, high-risk children